Track for vibratory conveyors



Dec. 20, 1966 R. c. WHITE TRACK FOR VIBRATORY CONVEYORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 19, 1965 INVENTOR.

)?065/97" c. WH/ r:

A TTOR/VYS 1966 R. c. WHITE TRACK FOR VIBRATORY CONVEYORS 5 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed April 19, 1965 V s v m W T k a Mm V.. 7 W6 A r M a O m Dec. 20,1966 R. c. WHITE 3,292,775

TRACK FOR VIBRATQRY CONVEYORS Filed April 19, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGIO INVENTOR.

ROBERT c. WHITE BY 4 @M 8m ATTORNEYS r United States Patent 3,292,775TRACK FOR VIBRATORY CONVEYORS Robert C. White, Detroit, Mich., assignorto Detrex Chemical Industries, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation ofMichigan Filed Apr. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 449,058 Claims. (Cl. 198-220)This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationSer. No. 233,836, filed Oct. 29, 1962, which has now matured into PatentNo. 3,216,431, dated Nov. 9, 1965.

This invention relates to an improved track for vibratory conveyormechanisms particularly of the type using a spiral track for movingparts by incremental vibration through liquid or vapor for treating,coating, cleaning and other purposes such as drying or subjection todifferential temperatures,

Full disclosures of this type of apparatus are found in US. reissuepatent to Jones, No. 24,281, dated Feb. 26, 1957 and in US. patent toWhite, No. 3,024,133, dated Mar. 6, 1962.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a special trackdesign which improves motion of material or parts on the track as aresult of the basic incremental vibration imparted thereto and alsoimproves drainage from the track particularly in the areas where rinsingliquid or liquid in larger than the usual quantities is added and must'be drained off. More particularly, the invention relates to a trackwhich is provided with transverse ridges above openings formed bysegmental portions wherein the rear portion of one segment willcooperate with the forward portion of another segment to provide theslot.

Other objects and features of the invention relating to details ofconstruction and operation will be apparent in the following descriptionand claims,

Drawings accompany the disclosure and the various views thereof may bebriefly described as:

FIGURE 1, a side elevation of an apparatus showing the relationship ofthe parts.

FIGURE 2, a sectional view on line 22 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3, an enlarged view of a portion of a conveyor showing the mannerin which two different liquid shed areas can be applied to one machine.

FIGURE 4, a sectional view on line 44 of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5, a sectional view on line 55 of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 6, a view taken at line 6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7, a sectional view on line 77 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 8, a sectional view on line 88 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 9, a sectional view on line 99 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 10, a plan view of a modified construction.

FIGURE 11, a sectional view on line 1111 of FIG- URE 10.

Referring to the drawings:

In FIGURE 1, an outer container is shown with a supporting bracket 22 atthe top portion thereof for holding a vibratory mechanism 24 of theelectro-vibro type, this mechanism supporting a center column 26 onwhich is mounted a spiral track 36 comprising a plate 31 having suitablemeans such as welding for attaching the track to the center column. Aninlet for parts is shown at 32 leading to a tangential entrance track 34at the bottom of the conveyor as shown particularly in FIGURE 2.

An outer vertical flange 35 on the edge of plate 31 completes a widetrack channel.

It will be seen that the entrance track 32 has three channels 36, 38 and40 and these merge with channels 46, 48 and 50 formed by intermediatespiral flanges 42 and 44 on plate 31. This multiplicity of tracks allowsthe passage of difierent parts through the same conveyor if this isdesired, or if there is a multitude of small parts, it keeps themrunning in separate channels so that they do not tend to bunch up andinhibit the contact with the various fluids which are placed in theapparatus for whatever treatment is desired.

This general type of mechanism is fully described in the Jones and Whitepatents previously mentioned. For example, suitable drying areas can beprovided wherein a double or false bottom along a portion of thetrackreceives steam or some other heated gas or liquid to hit portionsof the track. An example is shown at 52 where a hot fluid inlet 54 withoutlet 55 is provided. Also, a cooling coil 56 can be provided forcondensing vapors as a cleaning liquid of the vapor type is utilized.

The top of the conveyor discharges tangentially at 60 into an exit chute62. The bottom of the container 20 is provided with an area 64 forretaining a fluid which can be used for creating a cleaning vaporatmosphere in the tank. In some cases, this material is heated to createthe vapor which is condensed at the condenser tube 56. The liquid levelcan be adjusted to any point desired,

In FIGURE 3, the track is shown in greater detail and as shown inFIGURES 4 and 5, the track is shaped outwardly of the general spiralcircle in an oval portion at certain places to allow vertical access fora special.

spray operation to take place.

In FIGURE 4, for example, it will be noted that the channel runs 46, 48and 50 are extended outwardly in runs 460, 48a and Stla beyond thenormal vertical area generally occupied by the circular spiral track.This places them out in an area where a spray unit having nozzles 72, 74and 76 can be direct-ed into the tracks to contact the parts directlywhere additional cleaning fluid can be directed against the parts withany force desired.

In FIGURE 5, a similar run-out is provided for the tracks and it will beseen that in FIGURE 5 the tracks are extended at 46b, 48b and 50b. Theexact nature of the fluid that is sprayed on the parts will depend onthe particular problem but in some cases it may be desirable to treatthe parts with one fluid at one stage and another fluid at a secondstage. In this case, as shown in FIG- URES 4 and 7, an arcuate shed pan80 is shown so designed that liquid which is sprayed into the run-outtracks 46a, 48a and 50a can drain through perforations'82 in the run-outportion to the shed pan 86 where it may be taken off at an opening 84,for example. Similarly, under the run-out shown in FIGURE 5, a shed pan86 can perform the same function, this pan draining into an apron 88. InFIGURE 3, certain supporting brackets 90 and 92 stabilize the out-runsof the track. The out-runs permit a liquid spray to have impact contactwith parts but also facilitate the use of separate. liquids in atreating process.

The drawings show the draining portions of the track at some areas asperforate, that is, provided with a plurality of closely spaced holesbut a preferred type of construction for the track, according to thepresent invention, is shown in FIGURES 4, 5, 8 and 9 where segmentalplates are disposed in close adjacent relationship, the forward edges101 of the plates terminating in spaced relation to the downwardlyturned rearward edges of the plates 100 to provide drainage slots 162.In the embodiment shown, the rearward edges of the plates are disposeddown below the forward edges of the next adjacent plates Patented Dec.20, 1966 to create this slot and also to provide the forward edge 101 insuch relation to the general track surface that it can serve as a bumperedge for parts that are resting against it as the vibratory motion isimparted. This edge thus gives an extra kick to the parts thus contactedand moves them more rapidly over the track.

In addition, since the slots 102 are transverse of the track and alsolie transverse to the direction of motion, the vibratory action tends todrive draining liquid down through the slots and thus facilitates thedrainage action. When plain perforations are used, it has been foundthat the vibrations plus the surface tension of the liquid tend to closethe holes and thus inhibit drainage. The combination segmentalconstruction therefore with the slots transverse of the track andtransverse of the direction of vibration provides the combined effect ofincreasing motion of parts on the track and assuring a clearing of thetrack which is particularly important when the conveyor is to be usedfor different kinds of parts at different times. The combination alsoproduces another unexpected result in increasing the drainage throughthe slots in a manner which has not been achieved by perforations in aplain surface.

The outruns and portions of the track adjacent them may have a slightdownward slope as shown in FIG- URES 7 and 8 to accelerate drainage tothe shed pans, and each retaining flange in the drainage section ispreferably provided with spaced elongate slots 104 at the bottom edge toallow free flow to the shed pans. While only portions of the track havebeen shown with the improved motion-drainage surface as above described,it will be understood that the entire track may be so constructed exceptin areas where direct steam jacketing is to be accomplished below thetrack in a manner commonly known in the art as it presently exists.

In FIGURE 10, a modified structure is shown wherein a track plate 110 issubjected to a die to cut the material at the side edges 112, 114 andleading edges 116 and also to form the resulting tabs or blades upwardlyas shown in the section in FIGURE 11. This leaves a slot 120 below theleading edges 116 to serve the function of the drainage slot disposedtransversely to direction of vibration and intended motion. The plate110 is mounted around a central cylinder 122 and the track is providedwith a retaining outer side wall 124.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a vibratory conveyor for conveying of partsof the type utilizing:

(a) an incremental motion to effect conveyance of articles, thatimprovement which comprises:

(b) a central cylindrical support vertically disposed,

(c) a plate disposed in a spiral circle around the outside wall of saidcylinder,

((1) a vertical flange on the outside of said plate to define, with theWall of said cylinder, a wide spiral track, and

(e) one or more vertical walls between said flange and said cylinder todivide said Wide track into a plurality of parallel tracks extendingaround said cylinder, said plate being composed of a plurality ofsegments arranged with slots transverse to the direction of motion ofsaid track to facilitate drainage at circumferentially spaced pointsalong the path thereof.

2. In a vibratory conveyor for conveying of parts of the type including:

( a pp (b) a spiral track on said support, and

(c) means to impart an incremental motion to said track transverse ofthe radii thereof to effect conveyance of articles placed thereon, thatimprovement which comprises:

((1) a bottom portion in said spiral track having perforate portions tofacilitate localized drainage at said portions, said perforate portionsbeing formed by a plurality of segmental plates in juxtaposition toleave radial drain slots therebetween while forming a continuous spiralpath for the support and travel of parts along said track. I

3. In a vibratory conveyor for treatment of fungible parts of the typeincluding:

( a pp (b) a spiral track on said support, and

(0) means to impart an incremental motiorrto said track to effectconveyance of articles placed thereon, that improvement which comprises:

((1) a bottom portion in said spiral track having openings to facilitatedrainage and movement of parts,

said track and openings being formed by a pluralityof relatively narrowstrips extending across said track transversely to the directional pathof articles traversing said track having the forward edge of each stripspaced vertically from the rearward edge of the next adjacent stripwhereby the incremental motion of said track imparts a driving motion tosaid forward edges while facilitating the passage of liquid through saidopenings.

4. In a vibratory conveyor for movement of parts of the type including:

(a) a support,

(b) a spiral track on said support, and

(c) means to impart an incremental motion to said track transverse ofthe radii thereof to effect conveyance of articles placed thereon, thatimprovement which comprises:

(d) a bottom portion in said spiral track shaped to facilitate drainageand movement of parts comprising a plurality of radially extendingblades having a leading edge presented transversely to the direction oftravel and a trailing edge below the leading edge to form a radial slotin the track.

5. In a vibratory conveyor for movement of parts of the type including:

(a) a support,

(b) a spiral trackon said support, and

(c) means to impart an incremental motion to said track transverse ofthe radii thereof to effect conveyance of articles placed thereon, thatimprovement which comprises:

(d) a bottom portion in said spiral track shaped to facilitate drainageand movement of parts comprising a helical plate having segmental bladesstruck therefrom each with a leading edge presented transversely to thedirection of travel and spaced from the general plane of said plate toform radial slots in the track.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,847,767 8/1958Carrier 198220 X 8/1956 Spurlin 198220X

2. IN A VIBRATORY CONVEYOR FOR CONVEYING OF PARTS OF THE TYPE INCLUDING:(A) A SUPPORT, (B) A SPRIAL TRACK ON SAID SUPPORT, AND (C) MEANS TOIMPART AN INCREMENTAL MOTION TO SAID TRACK TRANSVERSE OF THE RADIITHEREOF TO EFFECT CONVEYANCE OF ARTICLES PLACED THEREON, THATIMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: (D) A BOTTOM PORTION IN SAID SPIRAL TRACKHAVING PERFORATE PORTIONS TO FACILITATE LOCALIZED DRAINAGE AT SAIDPORTIONS, SAID PERFORATE PORTIONS BEING FORMED BY A PLURALITY OFSEGMENTAL PLATES IN JUXTAPOSITION TO LEAVE RADIAL DRAIN SLOTSTHEREBETWEEN WHILE FORMING A CONTINUOUS SPIRAL PATH FOR THE SUPPORT ANDTRAVEL OF PARTS ALONG SAID TRACK.